A Promise You Can Keep
by Jake Nickleby
Summary: Dipper is stuck at the Mystery Shack on a Friday night alone, after Mabel went partying with her girlfriends, and him, failing to ask Wendy out on a date. But when Mabel arrives home late and distressed, Dipper takes matters in his own hands to avenge his sister.
1. I Can't Promise That

Disclaimer: All characters, events, and material related to _Gravity Falls_ are owned by Alex Hirsch and Disney Channel.

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Currently looking for commissions for Cover Art.

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Warning: This story contains brief mature material. Please read cautiously if you are sensitive to mentions of rape and mild language. This story, however, does not include incest or graphic description of violence.

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Chapter One: I Can't Promise That

Another night, another bust. Dipper plopped face down on his bed, disappointed with how his plan to ask Wendy out went awry. Now he was stuck at the Mystery Shack on a Friday evening... _alone_.

Every summer since they were twelve, the Pine siblings were always shipped off by their parents to live with their great uncle in Gravity Falls, Oregon. Not that either of them had minded getting away from their hometown of Piedmont, California. _Nothing_ was out of the ordinary there. After spending the first summer with their Grunkle Stan, both Dipper and Mabel practically _begged_ their parents to stay. Neither of their parents could not understand their fascination with the place, but if they had succeeded in their plan of "giving the kids some fresh air", then they shouldn't question it and let them visit Gravity Falls annually.

So after inhabiting the strange Oregon town for the past few years, and solving a horrendous amount of bizarre mysteries, Dipper thought by now he would achieve at becoming Wendy's boyfriend. Even when Robbie had gotten booted out of the picture over a year before. Dipper figured it was still the age gap between them. Granted, it became less and less awkward as he got older- and taller- but the gap would never really close up. Wendy was now eighteen, and Dipper, at the age of fifteen, instantly became... jailbait. He knew he would _never _live it down.

Dipper sighed annoyingly into his pillow. Mabel _said_ she was at a party with Grenda and Candy. She _said_ she'd be home by ten-thirty. But now it was past eleven o'clock, and his twin sister still hadn't come back home. Worse yet, Dipper wasn't sure how much longer he could wait up for her. He was only a little tired, but he was feeling strange pains just below his stomach. It was enough for him to lie down on his bed and do nothing else for the whole time he waited for her.

Dipper must had dozed off because the next thing he knew, he was slowly opening his eyes to the sound of a door slamming. He glanced at his watch. It was just about a quarter after midnight. His eyes closed again minutes after he heard some hurried feet making its way up the stairs. Forcing himself to get up, he looked at his watch once again. Now it was twenty after. Did it really take him five minutes to wake up?

Dipper sat up and squinted against the darkness to peer on the other side of the room. Sitting up he noticed that the stomach pains he experienced earlier had dulled, but wasn't completely gone yet.

"Mabel?" he asked softly. The darkness remained still and silent, so Dipper swung his legs to the side of his bed and stood up. Taking a few steps forward, he looked more carefully at his sister's bed. All that was there was her pillow and comforter all lumped together, but no Mabel.

Turning himself around, he walked out of the bedroom. Taking a moment to look down either side of the darkened hall, Dipper detected no initial movement or sound. He stepped further out into the hallway. Promptly, he heard a shuffling noise coming from one of the storage rooms. Carefully, he made his way to the base of the attic's stairway, and quietly walked up.

"Mabel?" he faintly called out. He strained to hear through the darkness, since the little bit of light source didn't do much for his eyes.

There was a sniffling coming from a corner of the room. Dipper followed it until the outline of the figure it came from became apparent. His eyesight adjusted to the room's darkness, and underneath the moonlight that poured through the cracks of the boarded window, he was able to see Mabel. All he could see was the top of his sister's head poking out of the neck hole of her sweater. Her shoulders shuddered as she quietly cried.

"Mabel?" he whispered again. She didn't respond. She just kept crying. Dipper wasn't sure if she hadn't heard him or just chose to ignore him. Usually she would at least respond with, "Mabel's not here. She's in Sweater Town." This time, he got nothing from her. And that terrified him.

"Hey, hey..." Dipper soothed, placing his hands on her shoulders.

Her knees pressed into her chest, causing her skirt to flip up a bit. Dipper embarrassedly averted his eyes when he saw a flash of her underwear and tried to gently push her skirt back down, but then flinched when he became conscious of the abnormal stain blotched on the fabric. Parts of it were a dark, reddish-brown color. The rest of her underwear was soaked wet, perhaps with sweat. Though the bashful Dipper tried not look too closely, only enough to see that there was something wrong.

Any other time he would've thought she was on her period, but she just had a cycle last week- which he had only known about because he woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Mabel's agonizing moans. Dipper recalled guiding her to the bathroom, so she could freshen up. Then he changed her bed sheets for her, tossing the old ones in the hamper positioned at a corner of the room. Once Mabel had come back into bed, he handed her a glass of water, a plate full of carrot sticks, a heating pad, and a couple of pain killers. The pair had stayed up for the next half hour until Mabel felt comfortable enough to go back asleep.

This time wasn't like that night a week ago. There was something that just wasn't right about all this. That's when he noticed the bruises and scratches trailing up and down her legs.

"Mabel- Mabel!" he half-shouted, trying to force her head through the neck hole. She grabbed his wrists, refusing to emerge from her comfort zone. He stopped struggling against her, and instead he whispered, "What happened?"

"G-gideon..." she muttered through her sobs.

"Wha-?" Dipper was taken aback. Why would she think that he was Gideon Gleeful? "Mabel, it's me. Dipper."

"N-no..." she moaned through her sweater before repeating, "G-gideon..."

Then the realization sunk in for Dipper, hard and sharp like a slap in the face. As soon as the shock had worn off, his eyes darkened.

"I'm going to kill him," he gritted through his teeth. He stood up.

Finally, Mabel's head popped out of her sweater. "No!" she shrieked, lunging herself at her brother. "That's just what he wants!"

"Well, good!" he shouted sarcastically, trying to shake her off his leg. "He _should_ want to be killed after what he's done!"

"No!" she screamed again, keeping her grasp on Dipper's leg. "I mean, he _wants_ you to go after him!"

Dipper stopped, and stared down at his sister in angry surprise. He lowered his voice. "What?"

"He wants you to go after him," Mabel reiterated. By now, she had calmed down long enough to explain. "He said it's his way to get his revenge on you..." She had mumbled the next part, so Dipper couldn't make out what she had said before she finished with, "...at the same time."

"What? 'At the same time' of what?" Dipper asked urgently.

"I said," Mabel spoke a little more clearly, fighting to hold back her grief. "It's his way of getting his way with me..." Her face twisted up, turning a deep shade of red.

Dipper dropped to his knees, and embraced her. Mabel's head sunk into his shoulder and wept. Her tears began to seep into the fabric of his shirt, seemingly stinging his skin when it soaked through. He ran his hand through her hair soothingly, which effectively calmed her. The sobs died down, and Mabel took long, deep breaths to regulate her breathing.

"P-promise me you won't go after him..." she whispered, but as soon as she pleaded, Dipper stood up.

"I can't promise that," he murmured.

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End of Chapter One

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Author's Note: This story wouldn't have been published, let alone written, if I hadn't stayed home for a couple of days to recover from a cold. If I had been well and gone to work, then this probably wouldn't have happened. Being sick, I watched some more episodes of this show (which makes a total of four now). I got inspired after watching, "The Hand that Rocks the Mabel". I thought of showing the darker side of Gideon's obsession.

Also, I promised myself to add this note to every fic I wrote about this subject:

If you or someone you know have been sexually assaulted, please contact organizations such as RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) - at rainn org, or their hotline number 1-800-656-HOPE. (However, I am not a member affiliated with these networks; my individual opinions are not directly reflective of the facilities).

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16 September 2012


	2. Do You Trust Me?

For disclaimer on _Gravity Falls_, please refer to chapter one.

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Chapter Two: Do You Trust Me?

Dipper rushed into the bedroom, snatching up his backpack in one swift movement. Digging to the bottom of the bag, the fifteen-year-old pulled out his cell phone and dialed the desired contact. Putting the phone to his ear, he waited as the dial tone rung. He realized his heart rate had skyrocketed since he had left the attic, and began taking deep breaths to lower his pressure. The ringing stopped abruptly, and a faint static was heard.

"Wendy?" he called, pausing for the voice on the other end of the line to speak.

"Dipper?" Wendy sounded a bit groggy. "Is that you?" She didn't sound like she had been asleep, but it did sound like she was well on her way to Slumberland.

"Yeah," he responded. "It's me."

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She sounded vaguely irritable.

"Yeah, I know what time it is." Dipper took in a deep sigh as he listen to Wendy go off on him. "But it's an emergency."

"Can't you call Stan?" the elder girl complained. "I'm sure he could handle an emergency."

"Listen, I _would_ call Grunkle Stan first. But he and Soos won't be home for another hour," he said impatiently, heaving another sigh.

"Then you can wait for another hour," she argued. "Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it can-"

"Wendy, will you just _DO THIS FOR ME!_" he finished, breathing hard from his pent up anger that was waiting to be unleashed. There was a stunned silence for a few passing moments, and Dipper was struck with fear that Wendy would hang up on him. Fortunately, his fears were put to rest when she spoke her next words.

"Okay, Dip. What do you need?" Her voice seemed to calm him. He sighed in relief. He couldn't feel any worse than he did right now, snapping at Wendy. Yet she was still willing to help him. He was very lucky to have a friend like her.

"... I need you to drive Mabel to the emergency room..." He could tell that she really wanted to ask why by the way she hesitated, but he figured she knew that it wasn't the time to ask questions. That could be left for later, when she got to the Mystery Shack.

"I'm on my way," she had responded before hanging up, leaving Dipper's phone to give off the annoying beeping tone that signaled the ended call. Pressing the 'OK' button, he pocketed his phone.

Dipper turned his attention to the backpack he had dropped on the bed. He threw in random essentials, among the items were a notebook, a lighter, and a flashlight. Taking the notebook, Dipper ripped out a blank page. Scribbling down a message on the sheet, he folded it into quarters and thrust the memo into his pants pocket.

With a shaky breath, he kneeled down and pulled out his bible for the strange town from underneath the bed... _3_. He debated for a while whether he should take the mysterious book with him or not, wondering if bringing the publication would serve him any use while on his mission. Before he could give himself another moment to change his mind, he stuffed it into the bag and zipped up the pocket.

A sniffle was made at the bedroom's entrance. Dipper whipped his head around to see Mabel peering behind the door opening. Only the left side of her face could be seen, her fingers grasped onto the door frame for some added support. He noticed her sweater fell limply off her shoulder, leaving her skin exposed. Her sleeve stretched and hung off her arm, the extra fabric balled up in her hand. Her sweater-clad hand made its way to her mouth, nervously nibbling at the material. She quickly spat out the sleeve in order to speak, but her hand remained close to her face.

"Dipper," she whispered. "Please don't do anything stupid..."

Mabel looked so small and helpless. He hated seeing her like this. She was such a bright and energetic individual, always being the silly type. The girl in front of him was not his twin sister. At least, the version of her he never wanted to see. He was more than ready to destroy the person who broke her spirit. Sprinting towards her, Dipper took her hands into his.

"Mabel, listen to me," he instructed to his sister. "Wendy's coming over to take you to the hospital. When you get there, ask for a rape kit. Make _sure_ the doctors call the police."

He put emphasis on the part about having the medical professionals calling the police. The clinic was just outside of town, and he hoped that the doctors would call a station closer to there than the one in Gravity Falls. Otherwise, Dipper knew that Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland would be called on the job, and he didn't trust them in enforcing the matter.

"You've got all that?" he quizzed.

She gave a trembling nod. "But, Dipper-"

He cut her off, knowing she wanted an answer to her request.

"Hey, I've got this," he said calmly, casually pulling out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "You know I've always got a plan." Mabel's worried, tear-filled eyes remained unchanged, which told Dipper that she wasn't convinced. Shoving the strategy back into his pocket to free both of his hands, he took her head in his hands and looked her straight in her eyes.

"Do you trust me?" he asked. She bit her lip.

"You told me I couldn't trust anyone in Gravity Falls..." she said carefully.

"Mabel..." he pleaded in a whisper. There was a hitch in her breath.

"... I trust you," she promised. Dipper leaned in for an "awkward sibling hug", as the both of them had always called it. He let go of her and marched out of the room, the strap of his backpack slung over his shoulder. Mabel had followed him as he reached the stairway, until they made it to the front door. Exiting the Mystery Shack, Dipper turned around and walked backwards. He pointed to Mabel, who stayed staring worriedly at him on the porch.

"Wait for Wendy," Dipper ordered, then turned to the woods in front of him and ran into the darkness.

Mabel saw something fall out of Dipper's back pocket, fluttering down on the dusty plain. He disappeared quicker than she could reacted, so instead she went to pick it up herself. She took a rather long time to approach it, but eventually bent down and scooped up the piece of paper. She looked over the note as a pair of bright lights shined over her. Wendy drove her pick up truck up by the Mystery Shack and put it in stall. She ignored the sound of the door on the driver's side opening and shutting. Wendy had clambered out of the truck and ran over to the younger girl.

"Mabel!" Wendy shouted frantically, placing her hands around Mabel's shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Mabel's attention was on Wendy now and not the paper in her hands. She slowly nodded to the red-haired girl, but she knew her expression probably showed otherwise. Wendy let go of her shoulders, and hurried back to the truck. "C'mon, let's go!"

Mabel tried to make an effort to get into the passenger seat in a timely matter, but her attention halted when it went back to the folded piece of paper. Slowly unfolding it, Mabel read what Dipper had written on it.

**Plan: Take him **_**down!**_

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End of Chapter Two

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Author's Note: If you've been following this story since the first chapter was posted, then you may recall that it was posted as a oneshot. As I explained in my original edit, my stories for my other fandoms haven't been going over very well and I've been struggling to get all of them finished. None of my recent posts and updates haven't gotten any responses. Then top of a busy schedule (I work several part-time jobs during the week), I find it difficult to continue to write. So there was an uncertainty whether or not this would be continued as a multi-chapter story.

Yet here we are with another chapter, so it's pretty clear what the decision came to be. It was because of reviews like yours that inspired me to go on. Thank you, my readers, for all of your support! Keep rockin', and don't start un-believing!

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21 September 2012


	3. Whatever Happened to You

For disclaimer on _Gravity Falls_, please refer to chapter one.

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Testimonies for Chapter Two:

"I can already tell how that fight is going to go down and my money is on the hat! :) He is going to avenge his sister and Gideon better watch out! If he's not watching his back, he better start now! :) Great job and looking forward to the next update. :)" - Alisi Thorndyke

"Whoa. You have wrought an exceedingly demiurgic story, on top of that with an interesting plot, and relatable occurrences. I congratulate you with this success." - Team Fang

Thank you for the reviews! I genuinely appreciate your support.

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Chapter Three: Whatever Happened to You

"He's doing something stupid," Mabel muttered to herself, clutching the note in her hand. A no-plan Dipper was just as bad as an overly-planned Dipper.

"Huh?" Wendy questioned, taking a sideways glance to Mabel while trying to relax her grip on the steering wheel. It didn't do much good- her knuckles would change back to white the moment a flush of pink flowed through her fingers. Her eyes turned back to the road, which began to wind down a narrow mountain side.

"Hey, Mabel," Wendy started uneasily. "I know that, whatever happened to you, you probably don't want to talk about it, but... I'm worried about you. And I want you to know that I'm here for you."

Mabel tried to open her mouth to thank Wendy, but all that came out was a wet sob. Her body trembled and tears began to brim, using all of her energy to keep herself together. _Whatever happened to you_, Wendy's voice rung in her head. She wanted to tell her (even though she suspected that Wendy had already figured it out), but remembering was too much for her to handle at the moment. The wounds were still too fresh to expose to the air.

Without looking away from the end of the winding road, Wendy reached over and squeezed the younger girl's hand. "It's okay, it's okay," she whispered comfortingly, feeling tears splash on her thumb. The remainder of the drive was in silence. Mabel couldn't bring herself to mention anything about the party, and Wendy was too nervous to try to say anything else.

By the time they reached the hospital, parking the truck in the lot, Mabel felt a strange sensation. Her heart began to beat faster, her breathing became harder, and her hands starting to shake. She was scared. Though she couldn't really understand why. This place was suppose to help her, right?

Wendy was the first to step out of the truck. Mabel tried to follow, but she was so slow that Wendy had already walked around the passenger side and opened the door for her. Mabel slid out, avoiding eye contact with the older girl. As they made their way to the emergency room's entrance, Mabel got that strange sensation again. She realized that it wasn't just fear that she felt. It was knowing that she would soon have to speak up about the past night's events, whether she was ready to or not. That feeling she had was the bit of courage she was trying to muster up inside her, and that left her shaking inside.

Mabel walked up to the receptionist and mumbled a response. The receptionist handed her a form attached to a clip board for her to fill out. She and Wendy found some empty seats in the waiting room, and sat down. Mabel did the best she could to complete the form, and handed it back to the receptionist. Once Mabel sat back down next to Wendy, that tiny amount of courage burst through her.

"Wendy, I have to tell you something," she said quickly and quietly.

"What is it, buddy?" the redhead asked.

Mabel almost hesitated, but then continued before she could stop herself. "There was this party..."

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Mabel arrived at the house with Grenda and Candy, excited to party with her friends since coming back to Gravity Falls a little over a week before. She was sorry at first for having to cancel their plans after getting sick on the night she returned to Gravity Falls, but that made tonight's party even more thrilling.

The party started off great, but the room soon got hot and crowded. Mabel couldn't even wear her sweater with the way the partygoers were packed in together like a bunch of canned sardines. The excessive material felt too suffocating, so Mabel had taken off her sweater and left it in the empty guest room- which had been converted into a temporary coat room. She felt a little self-conscious without it on, but even Mabel had to admit how cute she looked in just her pink tank top and purple skirt.

She spent the first portion of the night exclusively with Grenda and Candy, trying to scope out all the cute boys there. Being the locals, the two offbeat girls were able to fill Mabel in on the young men she pointed out. They spent a good twenty or thirty minutes eyeing and analyzing the partygoers, until Mabel landed on one particular individual that captured her attention. After she asked about him, Grenda and Candy agreed that he would be a perfect candidate for Mabel's affection.

With their encouragement, Mabel went to venture out on her own to meet her new fixation (but not before fluffing up her hair, of course). Though attempting to brave the crowd was more of a challenge than Mabel had thought. She hadn't even gotten _close_ to her target, and now finding herself next to the snack table, she lost sight of him. Taking a moment to look around, Mabel cursed under her breath when she was sure he had disappeared for good. Then a small group of people moved out of the room, giving Mabel a better view of the room.

Standing in the threshold of the living room and hallway was a tall young man dressed in a well-tailored suit, with his light-colored hair slicked back. One hand held his suit jacket over his shoulder, the other was tucked casually in his pant pocket. Mabel could see the definition of his muscular body, even through the dark blue dress shirt. The roguish glint in his eyes captivated her, and for the same reasons it had attracted her... it also terrified her, and not knowing why she felt these conflicting emotions confused her even more.

Mabel broke out of her trance when she felt someone push her from behind, causing her to knock into the person hovering around the punch bowl.

"Oh!" she cried out in surprise. "Sorry..."

Once she was able to stabilize herself, Mabel lifted her head up to get a better view of the person she bumped into. Her platinum blonde locks styled to perfection; not even a hair was out of place. The form-fitting designer dress she wore was made out of the most expensive chiffon imported from France. Makeup was applied generously on her face, complete with airbrushed foundation and fake eyelashes.

There was only one young person in Gravity Falls who could afford to attend a high school party this glamorously, and her name was Pacifica Northwest. Her french manicured fingernails tapped on the surface of the red plastic cup she held in her hand. The Piedmont native readied herself for the worst.

"Mabel," Pacifica greeted cooly.

"Pacifica," she returned the acknowledgement.

The two of them stood next to each other in awkward silence for a good minute. Mabel had to admit she wasn't used to the symptoms of the pact they had made last summer. A pact where they would act civil to each other, no matter how much they hated each other. It's what girls do after all, she thought. Hate each other in silence.

Mabel always got the nagging feeling that Pacifica wouldn't hold up her end of the deal, but she surprisingly had. Maybe the Pacifica she knew when she first came to Gravity Falls wouldn't have followed through, but it's amazing how much a person could mature in a few short years.

After another good minute without much interaction with the town's most popular girl had gone by, Mabel's mind began to wander. Her attention gravitated towards the devilishly handsome stranger once more. That dreaded fascination she felt before surfaced again as she stood there mesmerized.

"Ugh!" the blonde exclaimed, snapping Mabel out of her hypnotic state. "Don't tell me you're staring at Gideon Gleeful."

Mabel's grew wide in shock. She turned to stare at her frenemy in disbelief. "_That's_ Gideon?" It couldn't have been. He was too handsome to be the former child psychic, not to mention that his hair wasn't _nearly_ as big as it had been.

"Yeah, I know, right?" Pacifica continued apathetically, examining her nails. "Puberty did something right. It's amazing what a couple of growth spurts and some weight lifting could do... He's so ripped now, I don't know whether to drool or to _barf_."

"That's not him," Mabel contradicted. "It can't be."

"In denial?" Pacifica asked, taking a sip of her punch. "Suit yourself."

Mabel went to eye the southern native, trying to compare his physique with the one he had when she last saw him. Now that she thought about it... She hadn't seen him since leaving her first summer in Gravity Falls. It sure hadn't _felt_ like it had been nearly three years without having seen Gideon Gleeful. Still, it was still weird to think about how much his metamorphosis had molded him in a short amount of time.

"I thought Gideon moved back to Texas," Mabel pointed out, remembering something Grunkle Stan had mumbled. It was when she and Dipper came back to Gravity Falls, the summer of their thirteenth year. She asked him about the out-of-business sign in front of the Tent of Telepathy while driving into town one day.

"Oh, trust me, he did!" Pacifica confirmed, pausing briefly to take another drink from her cup. "Only just moved back two months ago."

"Say what now?" Mabel asked, dumbfounded. An eyebrow arched up to illustrate her reaction.

"Oh, it was this _whole_ scene caused in the grocery store about two years ago..." Pacifica explained. "Mrs. Gleeful went like, _loco _and got arrested or something for it. Then like, not even three weeks later, Mr. Gleeful got arrested for some entirely _different_ reason. So of course Gideon got sent to live with some relative." She paused to flick her hair over her shoulder. "I mean, it happened like a month after you left town, but I still can't believe you didn't hear about it!"

"Sorry, I guess I don't hang out with anyone who gossips..." Mabel answered, almost glowering at Pacifica. The wealthy girl dismissed her scowl.

"That's why you've got me, hon!" Pacifica responded, putting her arm around Mabel's shoulders. "Listen, Mabel... I know you usually like to hang out with your geek chic friends, but we should totally have a girls day together! Just you and me." She waited for Mabel to respond, but after her hesitation, the blonde decided to add, "But... _maybe_ your friends could come along. I know a salon that does _amazing_ upper lip waxing that will do _wonders_ for Grenda..."

This "nice" side of Pacifica was still really weird for Mabel, but Pacifica was trying (even it it was a bit forced), so she figured she would at least give her a chance.

"Um... Well, thanks... Pacifica..." Mabel replied, ducking her head from underneath the blonde's arm. "I really appreciate it. I'll let you know when's a good day for me to go."

"Please do," the once-supposed descendant of the town responded nonchalantly before waving down her entourage from across the room. "Ciao!" Pacifica exclaimed, and left Mabel alone at the snack table.

With Mabel's distraction gone, she turned to spy some more on the transformed Gideon, but a sense of foreboding came over her when the person in question had disappeared from view...

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"Mabel Pines?" a voice near the receptionist's desk called.

Mabel's head snapped up to see a female nurse waiting at the doorway that lead to all the medical rooms. She worriedly looked back at Wendy.

"It's okay," the freckled-faced girl reassured. "You can tell me the rest later."

Mabel nodded understandingly before standing up to follow the nurse.

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End of Chapter Three

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Author's Note: Sorry for going AWOL on everyone. I'm just as bad as the _Gravity Falls _hiatus! I've been pushing myself to get this (and the next) chapter done when I get home from my second job, but I'd be literally be falling asleep while doing it. Finally I hit a burn out. Even after resting up a bit, it took a while to start back up again. On the up side, a big chunk of the story has been written. Hopefully any gaps between updates won't be as large, although I can't promise when.

Another announcement... 30+ reviews? I want to thank all of you for your wonderful support! I like to keep in touch with my readers, but if you reviewed/added alert/messaged me in the past couple of months and haven't received a personal message from me, then I apologize. Reasons are the same as above. I'm going to try my best to catch up, but always know that I care and I thank you for your encouragement. I've never had so many reviews for one story, let alone for just two chapters! There's going to be at least ten chapters, so I can't imagine what the turnout will be like at the end of the story. Thank you again, and I hope to see you for the next chapter!

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25 November 2012


	4. More of the Story

For disclaimer on _Gravity Falls_, please refer to chapter one.

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Testimonies for Chapter Three:

"OMG, I loved it! I wonder what Gideon is going to tell Dipper. It would be funny and creepy if he told Dipper that his sister enjoyed it. I could only imagine the look on his face, lol. Like if Gideon told Dipper that in a jokingly way to get him back and make him mad." - EmmaAugustLover

Thank you for the feedback! Dipper's first confrontation with Gideon will be revealed in chapter six, so I hope you stay with me for two more chapters to find out!

Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovebirds out there... Even if you're single and you're reading this right now, then you're my valentine. Here's my Valentine's Day gift to you!

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Chapter Four: More of the Story

Mabel sullenly stepped out of the police station, being followed closely by Wendy. The hospital had transferred her there after they completed their standard procedures for a rape case. Careful not to slip on the cement steps leading up to the building, Mabel grasped onto the metal hand railing as a guide. As the two teenage girls crossed the parking lot, Mabel took a glance back at the station, disappointed with the outcome of the consultation with the investigators.

Mabel hurried inside the truck the moment Wendy had unlocked it. She felt safe there. The ride back was just as silent as it had been before, but perhaps slightly less unnerving. She didn't dare look Wendy in the eye, but just as they were leaving, Mabel caught a slightly dejected look on her face. Although the moment Wendy discovered Mabel looking at her, she immediately put on a brave front. It was for Mabel's sake, but the younger girl really wished she could see her true feelings. Then she wouldn't have felt so alone.

At the hospital, Mabel was brought into a standard examination room by the nurse who called her in. After having Mabel dictate her health history in detail, she had her sit up on the examination table. Mabel discovered that the metal was unbearably cold when the nurse had her put her legs up in stirrups, in preparations of collecting evidence from the incident.

Following the routine of gathering samples with swabs, the nurse photographed her injuries for documentation. It made Mabel blush, having to expose parts of her body (her arms and legs receiving the most damage), but she put her feelings aside in order for the nurse to conduct her business. The nurse examiner told her that her underwear accumulated most of the forensic evidence she needed for the kit, asking Mabel's permission to collect the garment. Despite her embarrassment, Mabel knew the nurse's purpose and agreed. She knew Dipper would be furious if she refused any service that would preserve the evidence.

Before allowing Mabel to leave, the nurse spoke to her about treatment for any possible sexually transmitted infection, and prescribed her a prophylaxis. The officials at the hospital filed the rape kit, and transferred Mabel over to the police station.

While waiting on one of the furnished benches with Wendy, Mabel's eyes quickly followed any of the officials rushing down the hall. Many of them paid no attention to them, making the younger girl's anxiety grow as she waited for someone to come over and brief her on her status.

She cringed when she overheard one of the investigators' yell, "Where's the rape case?", carelessly throwing the phrase around as he smacked his mouth on a half-eaten ham sandwich. The employee sitting at the desk nearby, the one that had registered Mabel when she first arrived, pointed to the shivering girl. The man walked over to her, still chewing on his sandwich. His dark hair was slicked with grease, and his mean-contorted face was wrinkled with age. He looked like he hadn't updated his wardrobe since the late 1960s or early 70s.

A file was handed to him by a younger-looking man, possibly someone in his thirties or forties. He was slim, but shorter than the other man, and had a kinder face. Taking a moment to glance at the file, the older investigator looked back at her and asked, "You Mabel Pines?"

Mabel almost hesitated, but she stood up. Wendy answered for her, "Yes, she is."

The younger man extended his hand to shake Wendy's, then gently took Mabel to shake hers. "My name is Andrew Beck, I'm a detective for the whole county." He took a moment to gesture to the man beside him. "I'm working alongside Detective Steve Charles, and we'll be looking after Ms. Pines' case."

"We were wondering if Ms. Pines would follow us, please? We have some questions we would like to ask her in private."

Wendy encouraged Mabel to go ahead, gesturing that she'd wait for her on the bench.

The two investigators brought her into an empty room. Mabel had seen this kind of room on cop shows before (but not on "Duck-tective"... she guessed ducks didn't have use for rooms like these?).

"Alright, Ms. Pines, my partner and I would like you to ask you some questions. Just relax, we're not here to interrogate you..." Detective Beck explained.

"But it's an interrogation room..." she pointed out.

"Yes, I know," Detective Beck apologized, "We're sorry about that. The last thing we want to do is make you uncomfortable. But it seems like this is the only room we have available at the moment to discuss these questions with you privately..." Then he added, "We promise to make it up to you somehow afterwards."

Mabel blinked. "... You mean like with coffee and donuts?"

His laugh was let out into a sigh, and a small smile briefly appeared on his lips. "A common stereotype for cops, my dear," he clarified. "But if that's what you want, then..."

"I'm fine," she responded. "Can we start?"

"Of course," Detective Beck responded, continuing to carry his soft, assuring smile.

Detective Charles sat down in the seat across the table, dropping a yellow notepad onto the metallic surface. He glanced up at her while flipping through a few pages. "Was your attacker someone you knew?"

"Y-yes," Mabel answered, her voice shaking a bit.

Detective Charles jotted something down on his notepad, the black ball point pen he used glided over the paper. "Name?"

Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Huh?"

"What is the name of your attacker?"

"Oh! Um," Mabel started nervously. "It's G-gideon Gleeful..."

"Where did the assault occur?"

She took a deep breath. "At a house party in Gravity Falls."

"About what time did the assault occur?"

"Around ten and ten-thirty..."

"Were either of you intoxicated at the time of the incident?"

"No," she answered, a little more quietly than she expected to.

"Did he threaten you with any form of weapon or used physical force only?"

"P-physical force..."

"Would you be able to explain to us how the assault occurred? Any details you could give us could be vital information..."

Mabel bit her lip. The words slowly came out, telling them the course of the terrifying event with just enough detail. She wasn't ready to give them an elaborative description, yet she feared that giving the bare minimum wouldn't support her very well.

When Mabel finished supplying the information, Detective Charles gave her a strange look before asking, "Did you, Ms. Pines, verbally tell him to stop?"

She felt herself shrink back, being caught off guard by his question. "No..."

"Well, then, you willingly let him touch you?" Detective Charles questioned.

"What?" she cringed in shocked confusion.

"Maybe you even _liked_ it, but realized you'd get in trouble with your parents if they found out..."

"Cut it out, Steve!" his partner shouted. "She's just a kid!"

Detective Charles got up to pace around the room, and Detective Beck took his place in the chair. Mabel saw him giving her a sympathetic smile, in hopes to ease the tension in the room. It almost helped. She wished that he had asked the questions.

"Ms. Pines..." the second investigator explained in a softer, calmer voice. "We just need to be sure. Some teenagers decide to have sex and regret their decisions, calling it a rape to cover up the fact that they were doing something that they knew they weren't suppose to do. But that could also be dangerous."

"It wasn't _like _that!" she cried.

"I know! I know..." Detective Beck consoled. "But if we arrest this Mr. Gleeful, he'll be put jail, or at the very least, juvenile hall. Is this something you want us to do?"

Mabel stared back. "I don't know..."

"You don't need to decide right now. You can always think it over if you need to," he explained. "We'll keep the case on file if you ever change your mind."

Mabel slumped in her seat, thinking Detective Beck's words over. "So what would you like to do, Ms. Pines? Would you like to testify?"

Mabel looked away as she thought over her answer, unconsciously fiddling with a lock of hair between her fingers. Her fingers stopped twirling around, and she again looked up into the investigator's eyes. Once she had given them her answer, they released her from the room. To her left, she saw Wendy waiting for her on a bench. An officer exchanged a few words with the investigators, and a few minutes later, walked over to her and Wendy.

"Are you a relative to Mabel Pines?" he asked Wendy as she stood up from the bench.

"Mabel's under the care of her uncle, my employer," Wendy informed the man.

"I'm sorry, but I can only supply information to the girl's legal guardian," the officer explained.

"But as she's _my_ responsibility, is there _anything_ that you can legally tell me?" Wendy argued, keeping her voice strong and steady. Mabel liked having look after her like an older sister. She could tell that Wendy, having to be one to all boys, liked being an older sister to another girl.

"I _am_ over eighteen, and I can provide identification, if that's what you need."

The officer sighed, and ushered her to come close as he muttered a couple of sentences to her. Mabel could have heard if she strained her ear far enough, but she didn't think it was worth the trouble. "You're free to go now," he said finally.

"Come on, Mabel..." Wendy murmured. "Let's get you home."

Mabel walked down the hall, slowly making her way to the exit, with Wendy following close behind. Taking a moment to look behind her, she saw Detective Charles standing in front of the interrigation room's opening, his arms sternly folded over his chest. She strained to look further behind her to try to find Detective Beck's reassuring face, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Turning herself towards the exit, she hung her head in defeat.

They didn't believe her...

As she mulled over the past two hours' development, Mabel felt the truck pull up into a parking lot. The neon lights radiating from the building across the lot indicated that they were stopping at a Dusk 2 Dawn (a newer, non-haunted location, for that matter) to pick up her prescription and other over-the-counter medication.

Wendy turned the engine off and pulled the parking break on. She flipped up the door handle, letting the door to partially swing open. With one foot stuck out of the truck, she paused to turn towards the younger girl to ask, "You sure you don't need anything else? Ice cream? It's on me."

Mabel kept staring at the glove compartment in front of her. She shook her head and answered, "No thanks, Wendy." Her words dripped with sadness.

"Okay," the redhead said in conformation as she stepped out of the truck. "Hang tight," she added before shutting the door.

Mabel sat in silence, which she thought was either comforting or confining- she couldn't make up her mind as to which one it was. The quiet atmosphere helped her think, but the stuffy, warm air trapped inside the truck blocked her concentration. Sitting in the truck for a mere ten minutes and Mabel got to a breaking point. She had to roll down the window a quarter of a way to breathe in fresh air. Sighing, she let her head rest on the doorframe.

From her peripheral vision, Mabel saw someone walk out of the convenience store. She didn't pay any attention to the person, until she realized that the figure was just standing there on the walkway. Was that person _staring_ at her? She didn't know why, but the thought of being watched irritated her. Maybe Dipper's trait of paranoia had finally started to rub off on her... Lifting her head up, Mabel looked straight at the being. Once her eyes met with the other pair, she flinched.

A boy close to her age stared back at her. Seeing a flicker of dejection settling behind his eyes had Mabel's heart feel very heavy. She opened her mouth, trying to form the words to say to him. Then she had glanced down at the window's ancient hand crank, rolling down the rest of the window as quickly as she could.

With the window completely rolled down, Mabel faintly stuck her head out. She stared at the teenage boy, once again trying to conceive something to say to him. Tears settled against her bottom eyelids, forcing herself to stay calm. The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of him, despite the fact that the reminisces of her last tear shed were probably still apparent on her cheeks.

Her speech began to bubble in her throat, building the confidence to explain herself. She took in a breath of air to ready herself to speak. Then without warning, she felt the vibrations of the driver's door open and the motion of Wendy climbing into the truck. Mabel showed a sign of shock from the sudden occurrence while Wendy initiated the engine. Mabel's gaze stayed fixated on the other teenager until she was forced to break eye contact as the truck began to pull out of the parking lot.

Slumping in her seat, Mabel reverted to chewing on a section of her chestnut tresses to ease the worrying. She didn't realize how much of a habit it was of her to chew on herself, be that of her hair or her sweater. It was a quirk she figured she should break, if she was so easily read by it.

"How's that hair tasting, buddy?" Wendy asked lightheartedly. Mabel smiled bitterly to herself. It was ironic Wendy had said that. The last time she heard the elder girl ask her that, she was troubled by the exact same situation. Though the consequences were more dire the second time around, the circumstances were no different.

"Wendy?" Mabel breathed. "There's more..."

"More of what?" Wendy asked, eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

"Of the story," the younger girl clarified.

* * *

"Who's _that_?" Mabel asked, eyeing the tall brunette at the other end of the living room.

"Oh, that's Tony," Grenda answered. "He goes to our school."

"He moved here last October," Candy added. "He's already sixteen, but he's in our grade."

"Hmm..." Mabel chimed, wagging her eyebrows.

"Ooh, Mabel!" Grenda teased in a friendly manner. "Do you _like_ Tony?"

"Oh, I think you should go talk to him, Mabel," Candy encouraged. "The two of you would really get along well."

"Well..." Mabel replied coyly.

"Oh!" Candy said abruptly, as if remembering something important. "And he knits!"

"Oh, is that so...?" the Pines girl asked, showing interest. Both Candy and Grenda nodded their heads enthusiastically. "Well then, ladies," Mabel announced, fixing her hair to look her absolute best. "I'm going in!"

Mabel began to stroll through the room to approach the object of her current affection. It was then she was reminded of the house's occupancy, when any possible pathway through the living room became unmanageable. She fought her way through the crowd until she ended up alongside the snack table. Standing up on her toes in hopes of getting a better view, she scanned the room with a critical eye. Drat, I've lost him! she cursed to herself.

Then she saw him. No, not Tony. _Him_. The dapper-looking stranger with platinum blonde... no,_ silver_ hair... and the well-tailored suit. Something about him that captivated her, hypnotizing all of her attention on the particular party guest, until a shove in the back broke her trance and she crashed into the person standing near the punch bowl.

Discovering it was Pacifica she had bumped into, Mabel found herself having a mildly awkward exchange with the town's most popular girl. Their conversation didn't move beyond their scarcely bearable greeting, until Pacifica caught her gazing at the attractive young man. Then the wealthy teen burst about Gideon Gleeful. Mabel didn't want to believe her, unsure how credible the gossip was. Suddenly, her view on the stranger had change, being able to apply a name with the face.

After Pacifica had left, Mabel could feel her consciousness gravitating towards Gideon, only to see that the part of the room he was inhabiting was empty. Still, her eyes stayed locked on the spot as she began to zone out. Staring at his striking features had put her in a daze, as if she had forgotten what she was doing in the first place. Why had she wandered off from Candy and Grenda? Oh, right. She was trying to find someone, and she couldn't remember who it was... It all seemed unimportant when she started staring at Gideon.

"Hey," a voice beside her greeted, snapping her out of her thoughts.

As gentle as it was, it still startled her. Turning her head, she feigned a smile to acknowledge her welcomer. It had taken an entire second for her faux expression to instantly brighten into her genuine mien when she matched the face with the voice.

"Are you Mabel?" the boy asked.

"I see my reputation precedes me," Mabel flirted, batting her eyelashes. The young man laughed.

"I thought so," he said with a smile. "Candy has told me a lot about you. You're exactly like she described."

"Was it something like silly and sparkly?" Mabel asked humorously, and again he laughed.

"No, no! It wasn't anything like that, I promise," the taller teenager said quickly, hoping she wasn't offended.

"I'm joking!" Mabel laughed. The boy joined in with a chuckle.

"I'm Tony," he introduced, extending his hand out to shake her own.

Mabel warmly accepted his handshake. There was something about him that made her mind feel at ease. The way he laughed and smiled at her in attempts to cover up his shyness made her feel so much better than she had in the past fifteen minutes. She felt her old confident self returning.

"So... I've been talked about..." she said with a sly grin, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers. Tony gave a small, nervous laugh.

"Candy and I had pre-calculus together, so we ended up talking a lot," the teen continued his spiel. "She said she really wanted me to meet you."

"Did she want you to meet me just because you like to knit?" Mabel teased.

"Oh..." he said with an uncomfortable smile. "I guess news travels fast...?"

"It's okay, you don't be embarrassed about it. I think it's _very_ manly!" Mabel clenched her arms and flexed her muscles like a body builder. "Grr!"

"Yeah, well, it makes for good business..." Tony informed her. He broke eye contact from her for a moment to direct their attention to somewhere across the room. "See that guy over there?" Mabel looked where he pointed to until she saw a teenage boy wear a charcoal grey beanie with turquoise skulls in the pattern. She nodded. "I made the hat he's wearing."

"Oh! It's so festive!" Mabel remarked, and Tony pointed out another party goer.

"That girl there?" She wore a decorative necklace-like scarf crochet out of mint green yarn, with translucent beads and sequins sewn on.

"That's cute!" Mabel shrieked with delight.

"That was a commission piece," Tony explained. "Kind of made me nervous since I don't crochet all that much. I usually just make hats for guys."

"I usually make sweaters," she shared. "For myself."

"Oh, yeah, Candy was telling me you're always wearing these crazy sweaters. I'm kind of surprised that I recognized you without one..." A quizzical expression flickered on his face.

"Yeah," she said with an exasperated sigh. "It just got too stuffy in here to leave one on."

Tony made a sound of amusement. By the way Mabel saw him picking at the snack bowls, she could tell he was anxiously trying to think of something to say. "So you're from California..." he asked, changing subjects. "Oakland, was it?"

"Piedmont," Mabel corrected. "but close enough. Where are you originally from?"

"Nowhere interesting," he recounted, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as he shifted his weight from one leg to another.

"Oh, come _on_!" Mabel groaned playfully. "It can't be _that_ boring!"

"Alright, you got me," he joked, putting his hands up in faux defense. "I'm from Spokane."

"See? Second biggest city in Washington, that's not so bad!" Mabel reassured.

"Well, you certainly know your geography," he observed.

"I did a school report on Washington back in the fifth grade," Mabel explained like it was no big deal. "Those kind of facts just stick with you."

"Oh, by the way... Your earrings," Tony pointed out. "Are those... crinkle french fries?"

"Oh," she responded self-consciously, fondling one of the earrings with her fingertips. "Yeah... I know it's silly, but-"

"Actually, I was going to say that they're pretty awesome," Tony said.

Mabel giggled. "Oh, you scallywag!" She could get used to Tony's company. It helped her get her mind off of Gideon.

Gideon, she thought. She turned away from Tony for a moment, frowning worriedly. Glancing frantically around the room, Mabel hoped that Gideon was gone. Or perhaps, she hoped that she _would_ be able to still see him there in the room, so she knew where to avoid him.

Tony's smile seemed to wash away, and replaced with concern. "Mabel, are you okay?"

Mabel snapped her attention back to Tony. "I'm fine!" she answered, forcing a smile.

"Oh, good," he said with a sigh of relief. "I thought I made you uncomfortable."

"Oh, no," she insisted. "Not at all." It's not you, she added to herself.

Their conversation died, resulting in the both of them snacking on the assorted finger food. For Mabel, it was the fruit salad. For Tony, the pretzels. Mabel wanted to kick herself for ruining the mood between them. They were really hitting it off, and it led to this? Guess she wasn't going to have her epic summer romance this year...

After several passing moments, it seemed like that life of the entire room had subsided and not just between them. That was, until a shirtless male- wearing a pink tutu and plastic dress-up jewelry- streaked through the living room. An uproar from the crowd brought back the energy to the party. Some of the other guys were hooting out comments, "Gay!"

"Yeah, but do you really call it being gay or just being fabulous?" Tony humored, loud enough so only Mabel could hear him, but she noticed he was speaking to no one in particular.

"Works for me," Mabel returned with a witty response. "I like boys who sparkle."

He stared back for a silenced period of time, blinking at her. A nervous smile surfaced on his face again. "... You mean like vampires?" he asked.

"Oh, no," she corrected. "I'm not really into vampires that much anymore. I just like boys who sparkle."

An amused smile crept up on his lips. "Well, hey," he started, pinching the black and white checkered shirt he wore underneath his leather jacket. He tugged the fabric up to show the silver threading in the pattern. "That's why I wore this shirt tonight."

"Tony, you're hilarious!" Mabel laughed, lightly slapping him on the shoulder. "Quit it!"

"Mabel!" someone shouted. She turned her head to see Grenda urging her to come her way; Candy was alongside her, silently motioning the same way. "Mabel, get in here! They're breaking out the karaoke machine!"

"C'mon!" she shouted excitedly, taking Tony by the wrist and dragging him to the family room. Mabel was drawn to the colored lights emitting from the open door, sparking an excitement in her (she had the grin to prove it). Her hand traveled from Tony's wrist to his hand, casually lacing her fingers through his. Entering the room, she saw platform constructed out of plywood was set up on one side of the room, set up with speakers and the karaoke machine Grenda had mentioned.

Mabel stopped abruptly when she saw Pacifica blocking her pathway, her grin disappeared instantly. The blonde's hip popped out, with her hand rested on it. She didn't like the look on Pacifica's face.

"Pacifica?" she asked in confusion, using her free hand to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Mabel!" Pacifica ordered. "I need you on stage..."

"What?" Mabel asked in confusion, just before Pacifica took her by the wrist and dragged her on the stage platform set up on one side of the room. She could feel her grip on Tony's hand loosen, until her fingers were completely released from his. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"Mabel, hon," Pacifica explained. "What's bigger than a karaoke duel?"

"A duet?" Mabel offered.

"Exactly!" she explained. "I say we team up for this one song, and we blow this party out of the water..." Pacifica held out an extra microphone to her, and Mabel stared at it.

Glancing around the room, then back to Pacifica, Mabel let out a tiny sigh. "Teens of the U.S.A.?" she suggested.

"That'll do," the blonde replied, positioning herself underneath the spotlight. "Turn it up, Juan!"

The instrumental track started before Mabel's mind could process what was happening. She glanced to the side, where she left Tony standing, then to the front where the rest of the audience were. The bright lights made it too dark to see them properly, the only thing she could make out was their dark outline. Her anxiety subsided when she heard Grenda's cheer of "Go Mabel!" somewhere in the crowd, and when the spotlight directed at her, Mabel started singing.

Pacifica took over the next section, until both of them came in to harmonize on the chorus. By the time they sang the second chorus, Mabel had put in all of her energy into her performace. Even Pacifica seemed to enjoy rocking out alongside the Pines girl. Together, they sang the ending, "We're the teens! We're the teens of U.S.A.!"

"Encore! Encore!" The crowd was getting riled up.

Mabel turned to Pacifica, and her once-rival turned to her. "Told you this would be bigger..." the blonde said smuggly. Then something (or probably _someone_) caught her eye. "You can take over this one, hon," Pacifica announced, handing Mabel her microphone as she stepped off the stage in a model-like walk. "Got places to be, people to see!"

The crowd's "Encore! Encore!" soon turned into "Mabel! Mabel!"

She looked out to the audience. Great, now what? Not that it was a competition or anything, but... How was she suppose to top that last number by herself? Taking a moment to glance around the room, she then got an idea. Mabel went off to the side of the stage, leaning over to Tony's eye level.

"Tony, you've got to do this next one with me!" Mabel said urgently, waving her hands frantically to usher him on the platform.

"N-no, thanks, I can't," he protested with a nervous smile forming at the side of his mouth. "I really don't sing."

"Oh, come _on_!" Mabel whined, pulling the same line she used on him earlier. Hey, if it ain't broke... "You can't be _that_ bad!"

"Seriously!" he raised his voice over the crowd's increasingly loud volume. "You don't want to hear me sing!"

Before he could object to her request any further, Mabel snatched his hand and pulled him onto the stage. "Get up here!"

Mabel decided that they should sing a rendition of "Don't Stop Fixin' My Heart". Tony started out on the vocals, standing rigidly underneath the spotlight. When Mabel joined in, she took his hand into hers and sqeezed it. Like an owl, Tony snapped his head towards her with wide eyes. She held onto him tightly, successfully achieving her purpose with the reassuring gesture as Tony relaxed his body and a smile appeared on his face.

"Oh, ho! Everybody doesn't kno-o-ow!" Mabel crooned along with the instrumental track.

"Everybody doesn't know!" Tony sang back, making up with enthusiasm for the lack of skill he claimed he had. Mabel thought he was selling himself short. He sounded just fine! Sure, he wasn't pop-star spectacular, but he was easy on the ears. She'd be his karaoke partner anytime... Before long, they were coming to a close with the song.

"Don't stop fixin' my heart!" Tony crooned.

"I won't stop fixin' your heart!" Mabel bounced back.

"Don't stop fixin' my hea-a-a-rt!" their voices rang out with the last line of the song.

The crowd was going wild, chanting her name continuously. "Mabel! Mabel!"

Mabel eagerly turned from the audience to catch sight of her singing partner. Tony smiled at her.

"Hey, Mabel... I was wondering, would you want to grab a bite to eat at the diner before it closes tonight?" he suggested, shyly rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "I could go for some killer pancakes, and the pretzels at the snack table aren't cutting it for me."

"You like _pancakes?_" she gasped. "Me too!" Mabel exclaimed. "Look at _this!_" She motioned her hands, one alternating with the other to him and to her, epitomizing their connection with each other.

"Great!" he proclaimed. "So you think you want to leave in ten?"

"Sure, I just need to grab my sweater and tell my friends that I'm leaving," Mabel explained.

"I'll wait for you at the front," he proposed to her, jabbing his thumb in the general area of his destination. "Sounds good?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'll catch up with you in a bit!" Soon, the two teenagers temporarily parted ways.

"Grenda! Candy!" Mabel squealed excitedly, hurrying over to her girlfriends as if she were hopped up on sugar. "Tony just asked me out to _pancakes_!"

"Yeah!" Grenda cheered for her friend, pumping her fist in the air. "Mabel, you're such a total rock star!"

"Most certainly," Candy agreed, adjusting her glasses carefully. "We'll see you next week?"

"Well, of _course_!" Mabel zealously answered. She glanced over her shoulder animatedly, then turned to her friends one last time. "Okay, ladies!" Mabel called, giving her friends a wave goodbye. "Don't wait up for me!"

Mabel could hear Grenda yell out, "Have fun!", while Candy called, "Be safe!" to her. She excitedly ran out of the room, through the living room and out into the hallway, where the bottom of the stairs were. Finding herself at the base, Mabel stared up the darkened stairway.

A chill crept up on her, shivering at the sensation. The night was cooling down, so bringing her sweater turned out to be a smart idea after all. Still, Mabel couldn't shake off the nagging feeling she had. It was the kind of ominous feeling any seven-year-old felt when they approached a dark room, fearing that a monster would appear from the shadows.

Oh, who was she kidding, she was fifteen, not seven! You're acting riduclous! Mabel silently scolded herself, taking a hold on the banister. Slowly, she walked up the stairs.

* * *

End of Chapter Four

* * *

Author's Note: I apologize for the lengthy author's note below, but I feel that I should keep you in the loop about a few things...

I know I promised you this chapter two weeks after Christmas, but after I got back from my vacation (a New Years celebration at Disneyland), I involved myself in a numerous amount of projects (some of which are other fanfictions, so hopefully they'll be surfacing sometime this year. If you are interested, please feel free to keep in touch for updates).

I apologize that with concentrating on these other assignments, it put yet another hold on this story. But less than two weeks ago, I realized it was time to give my attention back to this story to honor the premiere of the new episode "Boss Mabel" (airing Friday, February 15th at 9 p.m., ET/PT).

Congratulations to Kristen Schaal for winning Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production at the 40th annual Annie Awards! Oh, and kudos to you if you know the name of the songs that Mabel parodies during karaoke!

* * *

14 February 2013


End file.
